1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high carbohydrate guar gum food bar consumed before or with meals to improve glucose tolerance and reduce insulin requirements for Type II diabetics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Diabetes is the most common metabolic disorder. Diabetes (specifically called diabetes mellitus) is a disease apparently caused by failure of the pancreas to manufacture insulin, requiring daily injections of insulin (called Type I diabetes); or caused by excessive eating, requiring little or no insulin (Type II diabetes). The vast majority (estimated at 80%) of all diabetics are Type II diabetics. This latter type of diabetic is generally characterized by obesity, middle age or older, and having high blood levels of insulin. Hence, a Type I diabetic is characterized by a lack of insulin, while a Type II diabetic possesses an overabundance of insulin in the blood stream. Additional injected insulin is of little benefit to a Type II diabetic and conceivably may be potentially harmful.
The most important objective for Type II diabetics is loss of excess weight achieved by dietary modification and maintenance of normal body weight. Dietary modifications which will reduce weight and slow the rate at which glucose is absorbed often yield good control. Inclusion of foods high in complex carbohydrates and fiber as well as the micromineral nutrient chromium have been shown to favorably influence insulin response, and slowly cause the level of blood sugar to return to normal.
The obesity of Type II diabetics is the result of their excessive consumption of foods high in fats. Research shows a typical Type II diabetic consumes food of which about 37% is fat. Although Type II diabetics have a normally functioning pancreas, excessive glucose produced as a result of the excessive consumption of fats can sometimes cause the pancreas to produce a slight excess of insulin. But even if the pancreas produces a normal amount of insulin, the insulin is generally less effective due to a number of factors which promote lipid (fat) storage in obese diabetics causing a decrease responsiveness of muscle to the action of insulin (see "The Merck Manual", 12th Edition, published by Merck, Sharp and Dohme Research Lab., 1972, Rahway, N.J., pages 1130 and 1187.)
Maintaining dietary control for a Type II diabetic means reducing fat consumption and increasing insulin responsiveness. A typical diet designed for a Type II diabetic contains only 9% fat. The amount of protein consumed is generally about the same at all times. Thus, where a typical Type II diabetic was consuming about 43% carbohydrates and 37% fat, a proper diet for a Type II diabetic has about 70% carbohydrates and 9% fat. It is generally believed that maintenance of this diet progressively reduces lipid storage resulting in loss of excess weight.
It is well known that blood sugar rises rapidly after meals. Thus, the immediate need for insuline manufactured by the pancreas is highest shortly after meals. A Type II diabetic frequently produces excess insulin during the demand period because of the difficulty of the pancreas to determine the exact amount of insulin necessary. In order to aid the pancreas, a Type II diabetic could eat sparingly, throughout the entire day, avoiding big meals. This allows the pancreas to more accurately determine the exact amount of insulin necessary. However, this is an impractical diet therapy. Thus, the need exists for a method of permitting a diabetic to consume meals at meal times, and yet smoothly control the blood sugar rise which permits the pancreas to more accurately produce the exact amount of insulin necessary.
Although a high carbohydrate, low fat diet improves glucose tolerance and reduces insulin requirements, compliance with this dietary therapy is difficult and does not result in a smooth change in blood sugar. However, a high carbohydrate, high fiber, low fat diet will help level the glucose in the blood stream and stimulate a gradual release of insulin from the pancreas.
Fiber is an effective vehicle for delivering slow release carbohydrates. Fiber is mainly long chain polysaccharides which remain undigested as it passes through the body. Basically there are two types of fiber: (1) the insoluble fiber primarily from plants which increase stool bulk and decrease gastrointestinal residence time and; (2) the soluble type fiber consisting of pectins, polysaccharides and gums.
Diabetics are sensitive to soluble fiber (see: 1. Anderson, J. W. "Plant Fiber Treatment for Metabolic Diseases," published in Special Topics in Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol. 2, by Cohen and Foa, published by Alan R. Liss, Inc. N.Y., 1981; 2. Jenkins, D. J. A. "Dietary Fiber and Other Anti-Nutrients: Metabolic Effects and Therapeutic Implications," published in Nutritional Pharmacology by Spiller, published by Alan R. liss, Inc., N.Y., 1981; and 3. Anderson and Chen, "Plant fiber: Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism" published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition", Vol. 32, page 346, 1979.) Soluble fiber, when consumed, forms a gel in the stomach and small intestine that serves to trap simple sugars and bind bile acids. Thus, soluble fiber increases the residence time of food in the stomach and small intestines. The gel poses as a filter or barrier which nutrients must cross before being absorbed into the blood stream. By causing delay in the time for absorption by the blood stream, the residence time food spends in the stomach and small intestine is increased. Type II diabetics who maintain the high carbohydrate, high fiber diet maintain a more smooth rise in glucose level in the blood stream, which will gently stimulate insulin release. The high fiber diet calls for consuming more than 10 times the consumption of fiber in the typical American diet.
Soluble fibers are characterized by their ability to give highly viscous solutions at low concentrations. Gums are widely used in the food industry as gelling agents, stabilizing agents and suspension agents. All gums contain a portion which is hydrophilic which combines with water to form viscous solutions or gels.
Guar gum has become the most effective soluble fiber for treatment of Type II diabetes. Guar gum is obtained from the seed of the guar plant and was only discovered in the middle 1950's. It is generally a creamish white powder with a pH generally in the range of 5 to 7. Guar gum has a molecular weight in the range of 200,000-2,000,000 as reported in "Degradation of Guar Gum By Enzymes Produced by a Bacterium From the Human Colon by Balascio et al, published in the Journal of Food Biochemistry, Vol. 5, 1982, page 272, and forms viscous solutions at low concentrations such as, for example, 1%. At concentrations of 2% to 3% gels are formed.
The Food and Drug Administration has classified Guar as a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substance for intentional use as a food additive, in the current estimated daily adult dose of 1.9 gm. Guar gum has been mixed with breads, soups, and crisp breads, as disclosed in "Guar Crisp Bread in the Diabetic Diet" authored by Jenkins et al; published in the British Medical Journal 2:1744,1978; and "Dietary Fiber and Blood Lipids: Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia with Guar Crisp Bread" authored by Jenkins et al; published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutritionists 33:575,1980.
Prior art guar gum soups and crispbreads are either therapeutically impractical, or require preparation before consumption. In particular, guar gum soups require mixing guar gum with canned soup and heating before consumption. Cooking increases the hydration rate making the guar gum more viscous and unpalatable. Furthermore, mixing and cooking require a diabetic to be home for meals, or prepare the soup for personal transportation in a thermos container. However, this is a great inconvenience. For example, dining out will be embarrassing when a diabetic displays the thermos container and will require many explanations.
Furthermore, guar gum soups are not high in carbohydrates and fiber, and low in fat. Guar gum tomato soup, for example, is high in fat but slightly deficient in carbohydrates based upon consumption of an equivalent weight of guar gum in the bar of the present invention.
Guar gum crispbread cannot incorporate a therapeutic amount of guar gum in each slice. Each slice of crispbread generally contains 1 g of guar gum. Typically, the average Type II diabetic would have to consume 20-30 slices per day--about 7-10 slices per meal. Crispbreads are similar in size, shape, texture and taste to soda crackers. Consuming 20-30 slices per day is impractical. If more guar gum is added to each slice of crispbread, the result is unpalatable and causes production difficulties. Excessive machining (mixing, extruding, etc.) causes guar gum to further thicken and gel, becoming very viscous, which results in an inedible product. Further, the necessary baking increases hydration of the guar gum making the product even more viscous and inedible.
Lastly, guar gum crispbread is not high in carbohydrates and fiber, and low in fat. While guar gum crispbread is low in fat, it is also low in carbohydrates based upon consumption of an equivalent weight of guar gum in the present invention.
Consequently, a need exists for a ready-to-eat guar gum food product, such as a snack, which can be quickly consumed and contains a therapeutic amount of guar gum. No cooking or excessive machining is desirable in the production of the food product, and it must be not only palatable, but tasty without leaving a dry mouth feeling nor a stickiness or thickness feeling as is generally the feeling with viscous ingredients.
Guar gum, satisfactory for use in food production, generally has a viscosity of 2600 to 3500 cps at 25.degree. C. for 2 hours of a 1% solution tested on the Brookfield viscosimeter. However, not all guar gums within this viscosity make satisfactory food bars because of other factors, such as, their hydration rates or their substituent group or groups, which affect their hydration rate. Accordingly, it is important to employ a guar gum which does not become extremely viscous and sticky when added to ingredients of the food product, such that it is unpalatable and incapable of being swallowed.